Liquid distribution device



Nov. 4, 1952 A. P. VAN DER MOLEN 7 LIQUID DISTRIBUTION DEVICE Filed Jan. 7. 1949 1 3 .1 Fig.1}. 11 91;. l llgJflle 112 1;,

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B mx mxfmo Patented Nov. 4, 1952 2,616,670 LIQUID DISTRIBUTION DEVICE 'Arie P. van der Molen, Beck, Netherlands, as-

signor to De Directie van de Staatsmijnen in Limburg, handelende voor en namens den Staat der .Nederlanden Application January '7,

In the Netherlands January 10,

3 Claims.

The invention relates to a liquid distribution device by which an even, descending liquid film is formed, specially-suited for the cooling of plates. Plate cooling is utilized in the so-called film type coolers, in which the cooling agent travels down as a thin layer along the surface of the cooling plates so that a high heat transfer is obtained through the plates from the liquid to be cooled. In actual practice, however, it has been found very diflicult to distribute the liquid evenly over the surface of a plate. In most constructions there will be regions where an excessive amount of liquid is supplied and areas where insufficient cooling liquid is supplied.

The present invention is aimed at the construction of a device by which an even distribution of the liquid is guaranteed. This device is characterized by a horizontally disposed oblong reservoir, of which at least one side wall is bent inwardly or offset at the top so that a vertical cross section will show a bending point, and that in the vertical edge thus formed angular notches are provided, while the lower end of said wall, bent inwardly if desired, merges into or approaches the plate to be cooled, and a feed pipe for the liquid, running the entire length of the reservoir is fitted inside said reservoir.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a diagrammatic end elevational view of the present invention, embodied in a plurality of equivalent modifications; Figure 2 is a diagrammatic end elevational view of a preferred embodiment of the invention, and FigureB is a perspective view, partially broken away, of the device illustrated in Figure 2. If a single plate is to be cooled the side wall of the reservoir may merge into this plate (Fig. 1a). Also two plates may be cooled in this manner by merging both plates into the walls of the reservoir (Fig. lb). In coolers where the plates are installed close together, the walls of the reservoir must be bent inwardly at the place where they merge into the plates (Fig. Instead of merging into the plates, the walls of the narrowed reservoir may also approach and enclose the plates. In this case the plates and the device may be constructed either integrally (Fig. id), or as two separate units (Fig. la). The cooling agent flows as a thin liquid film down along the narrowed part of the reservoir on the plates. Instead of cooling plates, horizontally installed cooling pipes may also be cooled in this manner. When plates are to be cooled, the space between the cooling plates will naturally have to be separated from the 1949, Serial No. 69,813

liquid in the reservoir. For this purpose a bottom may be fitted inside the reservoir so that when the side walls merge into the cooler plates, the space formed under this bottom may serve as a discharge for the space between the cooler plates, or, if these walls should be constructed so as to enclose the cooling plates, an outlet channel may be fitted in the space under this bottom. 7

The narrowing of the top of the reservoir as well as the angular no tches provided in the vertical edge of the side walls are essential for a regular distribution of the liquid.

The feed for the liquid is installed inside the reservoir and must discharge the liquid over the entire length of the reservoir so that the liquid will flow evenly over the edge. For this purpose a tube may be used. being provided at the bottom with apertures for discharging the liquid. Very favorable results have been obtained with a construction in which a tube is employed, the tube being provided with a slit running the entire length thereof, the edges of which slit being preferably bent outwardly. In contradistinction to a perforated tube there will in this case be no fear of obstruction due to accretion. while the liquid will leave the tube in a very constant flow.

The invention will be more broadly explained in connection with Figures 2 and 3.

The cooling plates 1 and 2 which at the top side merge into tube 3, through which the liquid to be cooled e. g. nitric acid is carried off, are surrounded by the inwardly turned portions 4 of the side walls of the reservoir 5. The top of the reservoir is continuously narrowed or inwardly offset at 6, and provided with angular notches 8 in the vertical edges 1. Through a feed pipe 9, which at the top side is provided with a slit It] the edges ll of which are bent outwardly, the liquid enters the reservoir. The liquid leaves the reservoir through the notches 8 and flows down along the walls on to the plates.

I claim:

1. In a liquid cooling apparatus of the character described, means forming a horizontal oblong reservoir for liquid coolant having elongated side walls, said means including a partition wall separating said side walls intermediate the longitudinal edges thereof and forming a bottom for said reservoir, the upper portion of at least one of said side walls being inwardly ofiset, angular notches in the upper edge of said inwardly oiiset side wall, a liquid coolant feed pipe disposed within said reservoir and extending the entire length thereof, said feed pipe being slit along its top throughout its entire length and having outwardly turned lips extending from the edges of said slit, and cooling plates disposed beneath said partition wall and extending downwardly from between the lower portion of said side walls for transferring liquid to be cooled therebetween, whereby the liquid coolant flowing from said reservoir and over at least one of said side walls onto said cooling plates will transfer the heat from the liquid to be cooled.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein the lower edge of said side wall merges into thecoobing plates.

3. In a liquid cooling apparatus of the character described, means forming a horizontal oblong reservoir for liquid coolant having elongated side walls, said means including a partition wall separating said side walls intermediate the longitudinal edges thereof and forming a bottom for said reservoir, the lower portion of said side walls extending below said partition and defining a space for'transferring the liquid to'be cooled, the.

upper portion of said side walls being inwardly ofiset, angular notches in the upper edge of said inwardly ofiset side walls, and a coolant feed pipe disposed withinsaid reservoir and extending the entire length thereof and having a slit throughout its entire length whereby liquid coolant will flow into the reservoir and over the angular notched upper edge of said side walls and down said side wall to transfer the heat from the liquid to be cooled.

ARIE .P. VANDER MOLEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this, patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 541,660 Duffy June 25, 1895 700,990 Stocker May 27, 1902 783,915 Wilson Feb. 28, 1905 8083150 Hauswirth Dec. 19, 1905 930,926 Bentley Aug. 10, 1909 1,759,231 Feldmeier May 20, 1930 1,840,947 Hartmann Jan. 12, 1932 2,249,346 Mojonnier July 22, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 7,06e Australia. Nov. 25, 1927' 0f 1927 238,106 Great. Britain Aug. 13, 1925 I 473,793 Germany .Mar. 23, 1929 

